Royal Garden Party

[Katrinawaves]

I’ve been invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and am looking for a wow outfit for the day. I am told the dress code is posh wedding with hat or fascinator a requirement

Please hit me with some ideas.

I am:

mid fifties
5’7”
size 10, 32E bust, slightly rounded belly
redhead

Budget is flexible but 3 figures all in not 4 please!

The pleating on the Zimmerman dress is spectacular.

The Zimmerman one looks like it feels fantastic on too, lovely and swishy!
Very important :)

Luckily for you it's an invite not a summons so no you don't have to go if invited.
We are also at one this may. DH will be in uniform. I'm contemplating a navy jump suit and jacket with bright shoes/bag and hiring a ridiculous hat. But I think the shoes I had in mind (which I own) might be too high.

Hi Kathrina - I rented a Fold dress for an investiture at the palace and it was perfect. Really nic e neat tailoring. The garden parties are a bit less formal - so think more floaty dresses for the races than tailored. If you can rent Alessandra Rich for eg that would be good otherwise in your budget to buy, Rixo plus a rented hat. Definitely comfortable flat shoes!

Also - LK Bennett and jigsaw do an excellent rental service which is very reasonable

Wave to my mum whilst you're there! She's going on 8th May. I am right in the middle of making her dress which is not hugely dissimiliar to this one. It's a gorgeous green fabric with bright pink flowers on it and she's bought some lovely pink shoes and found a great pink fascinator in her local charity shop for £6!

This is what I'm contemplating. I'm worried that the grass won't love my shoes as much as I do. I have the matching bag and would look out for a yellow hat.

Now I want this! Also like the shorter version. Wondering how I can raise £600 and buy them!

You are going to look fabulous @Runningupthecurtains! What a strong look

@Runningupthecurtains Those shoes 😍 Love the plain tailoring, groovy shoes, bright hat combo, you'll look stunning!

@Katrinawaves I'm a smidge younger than you, a couple of inches taller and several dress sizes larger with a 'generous' bust. I also don't have much of a budget so it's lovely looking at £££ dresses I just can't justify it for a one off wear (I only spent £250 on my wedding dress!). The jump suit is currently sold out in my size so if doesn't come back into stock soon I will have to think again.

I do love them but I will have to wear my folding ballet pumps to travel and only pop them on at the last minute!

That’s a really good look. I agree that the shoes, stunning as they are, will be difficult on grass. Since you love the hat I posted, that would work beautifully with the navy. You could go for something like this and pick up one of the other tones in the hat for a bag.

https://www.debenhams.com/product/xy-london-lottie-peeptoe-mid-wedge-heel-sandals_p-aa404daf-a61a-4e22-9598-c0ea7127f290?colour=Navy&size=6&srsltid=AfmBOorHh88mmufGg0EADgEHKfQFftOKQ3U7rEPcbqv0VzmRt5hMHdXaaUk

Lots of lovely suggestions on here. I don’t have anything to add from a fashion point of view. I hope you have a lovely time.

Could I ask a question at the risk of sounding nosy? Who decides on the invitation list? Is it generally for folk who are prominent in their community, charity workers etc? I’ve never come across anyone who’s been invited to a royal garden party.

I'm going as a plus one, DH is the invitee. He was put forward by his squadron (he's an RAF reserve). They are given slot every few years and asked to nominate a suitable candidate, he has been picked for his long service, hard work and roll in the coronation.
I believe lots of charities are represented in the guest list.

This is at the other end of the scale to some of the ones I’ve posted so far but definitely something I would wear again. Too understated?

https://mintvelvet.com/products/cream-floral-pleated-midi-dress?variant=44645351096479

@Seebeebe my invite seems to be work-related. I’m the primary invitee and my husband is my +1.

I hope you both have a lovely day 😊

We've got a couple of hat hire places nearish us. Once I've finalised my outfit I will go and have a look at what they have that will 'go'.
If I don't wear my crazy shoes I might look for a plain red or teal wedge /block heel. I really want something that zings if I'm in a plain colour shoulder to ankle!

The patterned blue maxi dress on that link is gorgeous

Shocking pink shoes would work as well. I think you’ll look fabulous. Because the outfit is relatively plain you can go for a hat that’s a real eye catcher.

My mum and dad have also been invited. Trying to find a hat for my hat hating mum is proving tricky!

A hat isn't compulsory if she doesn't want to wear one. The 'What to wear' bit says usually with a hat or fascinator not that that ladies have to wear one.

@Runningupthecurtains I think you are right. But she's been told women are not allowed in without one. And I think she could do with livening up her outfit a bit. Bevy job is to persuade my dad to wear a suit not a blazer. Because he looks better in a suit.

I think she might feel uncomfortable when she gets there if she’s hatless @Toddlerteaplease. I don’t think I saw a single woman without a hat when we went.

I hope she can find something then. One of the other squadron wives definitely didn't wear one when they went a few years ago. Her hair is glorious and she said she wasn't going to cover it up for anyone! She was let in.